Find out how popular the last name Siegel is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Siegel.

Siegel, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Siegel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Siegel in America

Siegel is the 1674th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Siegel surname appeared 21,536 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Siegel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Siegel to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Siegel

The surname Siegel is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "sigel," meaning "seal" or "signet ring." It likely originated as an occupational name for a seal maker or an engraver of seals and signet rings.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early records showing variations such as Sigel, Sigill, and Sigler. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from Brandenburg, Germany, dating back to 1258, where a person named Conradus Sigel is mentioned.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various city records and tax rolls across German-speaking regions, including the Reichskammergericht (Imperial Chamber Court) records from the 1400s, which mention individuals with the surname Siegel.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname Siegel include Johann Siegel (1500-1572), a German painter and engraver from Nuremberg, and Johann Georg Siegel (1668-1752), a German Lutheran theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Jena.

Another prominent individual was Christian Siegelmair (1703-1768), a German architect and sculptor who designed several churches and buildings in Bavaria, including the Fürstenfeld Abbey Church in Munich.

In the 18th century, the name appeared in various records from the Palatinate region of Germany, with individuals such as Johann Georg Siegel (1738-1808), a Lutheran pastor and author of several religious works.

The name also spread to other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands, where Pieter Siegel (1617-1687) was a notable Dutch Golden Age painter known for his still-life paintings and portraits.

As the name spread across different regions, it underwent various spelling variations, including Segel, Sigel, Siegle, and Siegler, reflecting local dialects and linguistic influences.

Overall, the surname Siegel has a rich history dating back to medieval Germany, originating as an occupational name associated with seal makers and engravers, and has since been borne by notable individuals in various fields, including art, religion, and architecture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Siegel

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Siegel.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Siegel was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Siegel has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Siegel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Siegel, please contact us.

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